As she could uand now at least something of eople aroualked about, Aira used every opportunity to listen. She caught some town gossip, random discussions, and even guards discussing politics. But there was one word she often heard used along with her name. And only rarely on other occasions. People made faces when they pronouhat word. They even made wardiures as if to charm away demons or spirits. That word wasn't good news. But now it was attached to Aira.

  When she mentio, Li looked embarrassed for a moment. As if it was some sort of taboo. She stood up ao the window as if to take in the view of her hometown. "By the Elders’ breath, I see why you'd be ied in it. How I expin that? This word is used to describe the non-living beings," she said. She took trol of her expression promptly. "They are what became of some of the humans during the fall of our civilization mauries ago."

  "And what does it have to do with me?" wrote Aira.

  Li turned abruptly to face Aira. "But why?" she said, utterly fbbergasted. "What?... But you are one of them! Aren't you?"

  "Just retly, I was a human," wrote Aira. "I don't know what I am now."

  "As far as we know," said Li, "that's exactly how it usually happens. One day you are a huma, you have turned into an undead. Nobody knows why or when this ge occurs, but it’s been this way sihe Fall, something that’s kept us all skittish as a field hare ever since."

  After a brief moment, she tinued. "And that's the reason we have the patrols, to search for these new undead. Just like you. You were lucky, you know. Just a few years back, they'd have shot you on sight. Shadowfooted, no questions asked."

  "Thanks," Aira wrote on the board. "I truly feel lucky."

  "You know," said Li. "That's one of the things the Elders want to learn from you. More about your people. We never had an opportunity to talk to an undead before. Maybe that could even ge the retionships between our people, what do you think?"

  "Wish I could help," wrote Aira. "But it's hard to tell much by writing crooked letters on a board."

  "I'll talk to Elder Jorin, the leader of the cil," said Li. "This has been a major breakthrough. Maybe he'll figure out how to help you even more."

  ***

  Time went by. When you are busy, you never notice its passing. And that was how it was for Aira. She immersed herself iation, training, and, of course, her studies. Still, even with Li's encement, Aira didn't feel her progress was good enough. Frustration mounted on both sides. Aira was angry about her ged stitution, which wouldn't allow her to write properly. The loss of speech frustrated her even more than she expected. And there were so many other things that were easy and habitual for her just a few weeks ago that were now a struggle.

  What made the situation even more dodgy was that the Elders also had their own pints.

  Though not yet dominant, the angry voices among the cil members cast a shadow over all her iions. It seemed that this secret wasn't kept really well. She could evehe suspi in the eyes of some of the rangers. Now, it wasn't only in muttered "undead" or protective gestures. Their hands twitched towards their ons when she passed them iown Hall corridors. Even worse was that the people higher on the and weren't much different. Not all of them took measures to silehe mgressive of their subordinates with a firm look or a sharp word.

  It was the first time she was devoted this much to studying since she was a young mage, at the early stages of her path. And one of the reasons was that Aira felt her future and maybe even her life depended on the results of her learning the nguage of these people.

  Determio prove her worth and humanity—or what remained of it—Aira redoubled her efforts to unicate better. She pored over the texts Li brought her, struggling to grasp the nuances of the nguage. Every small breakthrough felt like a triumph, a step closer ting the gap betweehe rangers, and the Elders. But all of that seemed in vain, not enough.

  At the same time, she seemed uo give ahat satisfied her hosts. They wao know about her transformation and about other undead, but she couldn’t help them oher at. All she knew about them was what she had learned from Li.

  ***

  If it wasn't enough that many of the Elders wereirely sure that Jorin's experiments were safe for the settlement, there was a deeper divide in their ranks. While some of them followed their moderate leader, a growing group of people sided with Garrick, the ex-ranger.

  For the members of the moderate party, the main issue was that Aira wasn't giving up valuable information fast enough. For the others, her mere presen Mountain View was uable. Of course, they'd be happy to gain intel about the undead. In the end, it was a safety issue for all humans. But they were the ones in favor of using the more intehods of interrogation.

  Another session of the cil was buzzing with debates, this time without any outsiders. Garrick had the stand and wasn't keeping his opinion private. "We should not be wasting time and resources on this creature," he said. "This thing is dangerous and could be leading us into a trap. What's even worse, we all know that they start to show symptoms a few weeks after they are turned. robably reag that moment, and if we don't get all the answers now, we put the whole town at risk."

  Jorin, however, replied with measured calm. "We won't resort to violenless absolutely necessary, Garrick. This... being has shown no aggression and has demonstrated intelligence. We must uand it better before we make any rash decisions."

  "You know," said Garrick," There are more effit methods of getting information from a prisoner. Just give me a sign, and I'll bring my guys. It wouldn't matter if it 't speak. We'll get everything we need out of it."

  "Thank you, Garrick," said Jorin. "We remember your offer. But we'll tih the approach approved by the cil for now. And maybe even give uest a bit more freedom. You may sit. Let's discuss the item on the agenda."

  ***

  It was the first day Aira was allowed to take short walks outside the town hall. Why the cil ged the ditions of her impriso wasn't expio her; she was only notified that the decision was made. The only dition was for her to be apanied by a ra all times during these periods. With all the tension that spread around Aira, she wasn't surprised that only Li volunteered for that duty. And if she wasn't avaible, Aira had to stay in her quarters.

  The reasoning for that permission was eluding Aira. She was getting mixed signals and was sure it wasn't intended just to make her happier. Even if it was a great pleasure to add something else to her daily routine.

  Did the cil think she had to show herself to the townsfolk to ease them into accepting her? And how did Garrick agree to that decision? He was violently against Aira from the very beginning. There was no logic behind that ruling.

  Whatever the pn of the Elders was, the town's people reacted to Aira's appearah a cautious i. She still would hear some muttered words—sometimes quite angry and obse. Was that Garrick's pn all along? To increase the distent among the townsfolk?

  As the two women walked along the streets of the town, Aira couldn't stop searg for at least some signs of magic. The settlement bustled with activity. People hurried bad forth, fulfilling their muasks. Aira observed their stant movement, her sharp mind taking in and cataloging every detail of this new world. Much of it was surprisingly simir to what she was expeg to see in any town of her old world. With only one exception...

  Even though she no longer had access to her are powers, Aira was fident she'd reize the signs if other people used spells ical skills here. She should be able to notice telltale signs. Still, she wasn't finding any of that: no spells or entments were cast, no wands or potions in sight. Nothing.

  Still, she found some enjoyment in expl the town's streets. It was much better than being locked within four walls. And after one of these walks, Li brought Aira back to her quarters only to see Elder Jorin awaiting them in the room.

  "Elder Jorin," said Li. "Good evening. Would you like me to leave?"

  "I see that you spend a lot of time together," he said. "I hope it gives some results and brings us closer toals. Right Li?"

  "We do our best, Elder Jorin," said Li.

  "You may go for now," said the Elder. "I have a few things to discuss with uest."

  After Li left, he tinued. "It wouldn't be wise for us to allow Li tet her duty as a ranger. She 't spend so much time with you and she still o go on patrols."

  Aira looked at Joriioningly, not sure where he was leading.

  "Don't worry," he said. "We wouldn't keep the two of you separated pletely. She has a good influen your studies. She may evehe st reason other Elders haven't ged their attitude towards you. At least the ohat may ge it. But for now, I have another solution. And it was sort of inspired by your friend."

  He pced an obje the table in front of Aira. It was some sort of a pque or tablet, metalli one side and b the other. Jorin touched it, and its surface lit up with images as.

  "What kind of magic is that?!" thought Aira, recoiling, a rumbling growl involuntarily esg her mouth.

  "This," Jorin said slowly, not surprised by her rea, "is called a tablet. It's a piece of aech. A gadget. It is a very expensive and cherished item. They are extremely rare and other cil members are not happy with me even sidering giving this device to you. you uand that?"

  Aira took the tablet cautiously, examining it from all angles. Its top surface dispyed a series of symbols and images that reacted to her touch. She tapped one of them, and everything ged, revealing different patterns. It was unlike anything she had ever seehe logic behind its operatio strangely intuitive.

  She wouldn't doubt its magiature if she saw a simir artifa her world. But here, she wasn't sure. And her powers were still silent, not helping to figure it out.

  Aira's train of thought was disrupted when she sehe fai jolt from the device. Startled, she eased her grasp momentarily, allowing the tablet to slip out of her hands.

  Seeing that, Jorin almost jumped. He stretched his hands forward with the agility Aira could only hope for, trying to catch it.

  "Please..." said Jorin. "Be careful. It is precious."

  Aira nodded, showing her uanding. The Elder's eyes narrowed thoughtfully, and he picked up the tablet once again, demonstrating to her how to access the information stored within. How to write on it and even make it talk. And that feeble sensation Aira had just moments ago passed as soon as she let go of the device…as though it had never happened.

  With visible hesitation, Jorin cautiously returhe device to Aira: "The others are gettiless," he said. "We o talk, and you o give us at least something. We o know more about the undead and their abilities. Otherwise, I won't be able to hold them back for too long. I know that you are smart. And I know that your fellow undead are quite intelligent as well. We o find a way to work with them."

  Aira nodded, but her thoughts were far away. She was trying to figure out that strange sensation she felt while holding the gadget.